Summer has finally arrived!
This summer season offers tons of fun. But don’t forget about your hearing’s health before you go out for a day on the beach, a rocking concert, or perhaps a great backyard barbecue.
When you’re out enjoying summer, do keep in mind that your hearing can be harmed by loud noises. During the summer you’re a lot more likely to be exposed to loud sounds, so it’s very important to take the appropriate steps to protect your hearing.
Here are some activities that are best enjoyed with earplugs.
Going for a swim
Bacteria and parasites love water and can even live in relatively clean pools potentially leading to swimmer’s ear. Earplugs will help keep your ears dry and prevent infection.
While pool-borne illness is rarely serious, polluted water getting into your ear canal can have harmful effects. Short-term hearing loss, pain, and swelling can be the consequence.
Left unaddressed, infections can result in damage to the eardrum and the fragile inner workings of the ear.
It’s not possible to totally avoid all pathogens in hot tubs or pools, but using swimming earplugs will help protect your ears.
Concerts and live performances
Going to a concert is always fun, particularly during the summer. But live concerts are typically really loud.
You may be exposed to more than 120dB of volume depending on where you’re standing. These volume levels can immediately trigger hearing loss that can be permanent.
Earplugs are fashioned to reduce sound, not distort it. The amount of sound that can be blocked by earplugs will be identified by an NRR rating of between 20 and 33. An NRR of 20 will reduce the sound by 20 dB. So if you’re at a concert with 120dB of sound, it will be reduced to 100dB.
However, that’s still a potentially damaging level.
The closer you are to a speaker, the higher NRR you’ll require to safeguard your ears and prevent permanent hearing damage. Even if you get the highest level of hearing protection, you will still be subjected to sounds loud enough to cause irreversible hearing damage within 15 minutes. For the highest level of protection, stand a distance from the speakers and wear earplugs.
This doesn’t only pertain to concerts, it’s also relevant for things like festivals, movies, plays, sporting events, and any other event where sound will be amplified through speakers.
property maintenance
The grass is going to keep growing so mowing will be necessary pretty much every week. You routinely edge the flowerbeds and weed the steps to keep your yard from looking messy. Then you keep the long grass under control with a weed-whacker.
Your hearing will definitely be damaged by the volume level of yard equipment. Earplugs will help decrease the noise from these tools and safeguard your hearing.
If you’re mowing the lawn without earplugs, you’re gradually damaging your hearing and it will become more obvious over time.
Independence Day
It wouldn’t be Independence Day without them. On the 4th of July, we will all be celebrating our country’s independence. But fireworks have a negative side. They can create up to 175dB of noise. That’s the volume of a pistol being discharged right beside your head!
If you’re attending a show where the fireworks are thunderous and repeating, you’ll definitely need earplugs. If you’re close to the action, the highest NRR rating is advisable. You’ll safeguard your ears from damage and the fireworks will still sound loud enough.
It’s important to safeguard your ears
Seek help before your hearing loss becomes extreme. Most people most likely won’t even recognize that their hearing is gradually going until it’s too late, and regrettably, there’s no cure. Give us a call right away so we can help you determine any risks you may have.
